mister

1 of 2

noun (1)

mis·​ter ˈmi-stər How to pronounce mister (audio)
 for sense 1  ˌmi-stər,
 or in rapid speech  (ˌ)mis(t)
1
capitalized : mr.
used sometimes in writing instead of Mr.
2
: sir
used without a name as a generalized term of direct address of a man who is a stranger
hey, mister, do you want to buy a paper
3

mister

2 of 2

noun (2)

mist·​er ˈmi-stər How to pronounce mister (audio)
: a device for spraying a mist

Examples of mister in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Canopy with fans, heaters and misters were installed to keep employees comfortable during harsh weather conditions. Brianna Taylor, Sacramento Bee, 20 Feb. 2024 One patio spans 4,400 square feet and has a large artificial grass putting green; another has 125 seats, heaters and misters. The Arizona Republic, 13 Feb. 2024 In the morning, the cafe and large outdoor patio is a comfortable place to sit back with a hot coffee or tea, taking advantage of the heaters in the winter and the misters in the summer. Endia Fontanez, The Arizona Republic, 22 Jan. 2024 Besides the big outboards—a South Florida trademark—other giveaways are cooling misters in the cockpit, air conditioning for the helm, oversize fridges and ice makers and—count them—46 cupholders. Howard Walker, Robb Report, 20 Nov. 2023 The space is designed to be welcoming — with misters, heaters and a cedar trellis that moves according to sunlight — and is packed with shoppers, seemingly overjoyed to have somewhere to hang that isn’t a Starbucks. Seth Abramovitch, The Hollywood Reporter, 13 Oct. 2023 Well, mister, that kind of sass is a one-way ticket to Impeachmentville, population: you. Pat Cassels, The New Yorker, 6 Oct. 2023 Each mister has a glass vessel, a plastic pump that doesn’t leak or rust, and a finger loop for easy spritzing. L. Daniela Alvarez, Better Homes & Gardens, 26 Sep. 2023 Restaurants and bars deploy fans and misters, shrouding their patios in a cool fog. Carolyn Kormann, The New Yorker, 6 Sep. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'mister.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

alteration of master entry 1

Noun (2)

mist entry 2 + -er entry 2

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1551, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

1973, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of mister was in 1551

Dictionary Entries Near mister

Cite this Entry

“Mister.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mister. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

mister

1 of 2 noun
mis·​ter ˈmis-tər How to pronounce mister (audio)
 for sense 1  ˌmis-tər
1
used sometimes in writing instead of Mr.
2
: sir sense 2
used without a name as a term of direct address of a man who is a stranger
hey, mister, do you want to buy a paper?

mister

2 of 2 noun
mist·​er ˈmis-tər How to pronounce mister (audio)
: a device for spraying a mist
Etymology

Noun

an altered form of master

Noun

2mist "to cover with a mist" and 2-er "one that does (a specified action)"

More from Merriam-Webster on mister

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